Let Me Break
by JustPretend2
Summary: Severus ends his relationship with Hermione while she's laying in a hospital bed after the Final Battle. After a couple years he realises his mistake and tries to rectify it. This is how it went. Rating to be on the safe side. One-Shot.


**AN - I was just having a bit of fun with this after hearing a couple songs. Anyway, Harry Potter and the world he lives in doesn't belong to me, it belongs to JKR. None of the songs featured here except for _Severus Likes Peeing in the Shower_ belongs to me but I'll give due credit at the end of this story.**

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><p>The Final Battle had not taken place where anyone had expected it to be. It was not at Godric's Hollow, or Stonehenge, hell, it was not even at Hogwarts. Instead, it took place on Privet Drive. Apparently, Voldemort was getting restless and impatient. It was, perhaps, lucky that the Order happened to own a house across the street and a few doors down from the Dursleys. Hermione Granger had bought it with the inheritance from her parents when they had died (incidentally, not by a Death Eater attack, but rather a serial killer who had been wreaking havoc at the time). She couldn't bear living in the same house her parents were murdered. She was smart about it though, and she asked her Godfather to buy it for her after giving him the money so it was not under her name. No use inviting people over who want to murder her. She invited the Order to use it when they wished, just in case. It wasn't really her type of neighbourhood, but she wanted to keep a better eye on the family that treated Harry so poorly.<p>

The Battle had lasted hours with losses on both sides. It finally ended when Voldemort was distracted thanks to a muggle throwing something from an upper floor window. It hit his head and kept him puzzled just enough for Harry to yell out the killing curse. When His Evilness fell, the young man dropped to his knees and cried. It was finally over. Cheers rose up, but they were half-hearted at best with the destruction around them. Oddly enough, it was the Dursleys who helped him back to his feet. Dudley went so far as to apologise for the way he treated the boy, stating that if he knew people like Voldemort existed, he never would have called him a freak. The group would never be friends, but they had an understanding.

Hermione had taken out Bellatrix Lestrange when she went to curse Harry for having the gall to thank the snake for waiting until after his NEWTs to strike. It took both Remus Lupin and Neville Longbottom to take out Greyback while Luna had succesfully subdued MacNair. Everyone had shown themselves competent warriors that day. Perhaps none moreso than Hermione and Draco. They both teamed up after the fall of Bellatrix to fight Lucius Malfoy. Snape battled the Lestrange brothers in an almost bored fashion killing both with a well aimed _Reducto_. Hermione went on to fight Dolohov, still angry of what happened in 5th year. Unfortunately, only Ron and Harry knew how bad her vengeance streak could get while everyone else stared in awed surprise when she not only killed Dolohov but made him die in one of Umbridge's outfits.

Two months later, only a handful remained in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts – the others having been either released or sent to St. Mungo's. Among those remaining were Hermione and Draco. They had a tentative friendship before, but it became stronger laying on the beds beside each other for such a long time. She was one of the only ones who believed him when he said he wanted to switch sides. He stopped complaining about having no visitors after she remarked that the only reason Harry came so often was to get a glimpse of the blond.

It was late one night when Severus showed up. Madam Pomfrey was already in bed, and Draco was pretending to sleep. He knew that she and his godfather were together, and had been for about a year. That was why he thought he could trust the girl with his newfound enlightment. Listening to what was going on, he could barely surpress the urge to hex the man. Snape had decided to end his relationship with Hermione on the basis that he was too old for her, she needed someone her age without a detrimental past as an ex-Death Eater, that she needed to see the world and live life. That was the gist of it anyway, he said it in pretty harsh tones. The reaction was what neither had suspected – they both thought she would be upset, try to beg him to change his mind, and maybe even cry a bit. Oh but she didn't do that. No, she started throwing things at him, yelling something along the lines of „You loud mother fucking pissant son of a _bitch_!" Shocked that Hermione would curse, he was unable to move. It wasn't even when she found her wand and started throwing hexes his way that he bolted but rather, when she conjured up darts and started throwing _those_. He left fairly quickly after that, still convinced he was doing the right thing.

„Draco! I know you're awake! Can you believe that bastard? He's trying to be _noble_!" After calming Hermione down, he went to see his Godfather. Telling him that after that display of utmost arrogance and stupidity in throwing away the best thing that oould _ever_ happen to him and breaking his best friend's heart in the process, he refused to recognise him as Godfather. „I'm ashamed of you, Uncle Severus. I hope one day you find out what exactly you just did." And he did learn, a couple years later when they youngest Weasley and Hermione broke up. He hated that they were together even though he did tell her to date someone her age. He had been suffering something awful ever since he ended the relationship between them. He had thought it was his fault she was the infirmary for so long, he also did not want to keep her from accomplishing all that she could, which would be hindered by staying with him. Perhaps he should not have been so harsh in his words, but he knew no other way. Perhaps she would understand. Some part of him, though, told him that it was not likely to happen. Hell, even his godson stopped talking to him and his colleagues refused to stop mentioning how much more miserable he looked than he used to.

In hindsight, he probably should have waited for the sting of Weasley cheating on her to blow over before visiting but he did not. He went to her house in attempts of apologising. Hermione was at home and had already packed and sent her stuff to America where she had decided to move to. She had quit her job at the ministry realising she would be going nowhere with it. Harry had known about Ron cheating on her, but had not wanted to say anything, deciding to remain neutral, which almost broke their friendship. When Severus saw the empty area, he tried even harder to reconcile everything between them and promised to write a letter twice a week until she knew how sorry he was and took him back. All he got in his efforts was a stinging hex to the groin and a „Bite me" before she disapparated.

Hermione had moved in with her godfather in the States and from there enlisted in the Marine Corps at his insistence. She didn't give up magic, but wanted to spend some time in the muggle world as well. She only wrote to Harry for his birthday and for Christmas, each time addressing him only as Switzerland. Her letters to his boyfriend, Draco, were longer and much more frequent. Other than those two, she kept in touch with Minerva, Luna, Neville, Albus, Kingsley, Remus, Molly, and Ginny. Everyone else she sent letters to every now and then, but not nearly as often as this group. Remus had once tried to get her to reconcile with Harry but after a scathing reply, he stopped in his efforts.

It was while in the Marines that she met up with her American group of friends. Derek Humm was a pureblood who joined to get away from his parents („I thought, if muggles could do it to get away from their folks, why can't I as well?"), Jake Martin was a squib but wasn't resentful of wizards, Robby Filameravitch was a muggle, but had a sister who was a witch (both magically and figuratively). Robby's actual name was Phillip, but when asked why he changed it, he said that Rob was easier to write in the snow. No one questioned it. Oddly, they were all in the same unit and were able to start a band. Hermione was grateful for her time in the Corps but after eight years and two tours in the Middle East, she decided to get out. The ohers had all left before then, having started up at different times. They continued with their music though, a nice rock group that ended up becoming famous in both the magical community as well as the muggle one.

Severus knew of this, having learned from Draco who finally started talking to him again when he told him he wanted her back and had tried apologising. He kept his promise of two letters a week, even after all these years. Two years in, he received a reply. It was a photo of her burning his unopened letter. He liked to think she opened it then resealed it to make it look like she didn't care what the contents were. She was a curious creature. He knew that.

Although he had never imagined her doing something such as... well... being in a band, he had anticipated what she would use with the proceeds. Hermione had used the money she earned to build orphanges for muggles and wizards all over the world. She often donated to various charities and helped rebuilding anything that tyranny caused. She was able to get a house-elf law to pass (a revision of S.P.E.W., where they are not necessarily freed, but rather were treated well. Payment going to those who wish it). England, not wanting to be shown up by the yanks, passed the same law. She never did drugs or drink in excess. She was the role model that both parents and children were okay with it. She had not lost her vengeance streak though.

With loud whispers within hearing distance of the right people, she got the word around that their new single was based on her ex-boyfriend Ron Weasley who had cheated on her numerous times. Word traveled quickly and everyone knew without her having to make an official statement. She was actually friends with Lavender Brown, who Ron had cheated on her with. Lavender hadn't known that they were still dating, and was also cheated on as she was not the only witch apart from Hermione that he slept with. Although they did not write to each other much, they kept up with what was happening as best as they could. Lavender had opened a shop similar to Madam Malkin's but with a more modern array of choices.

Not long after the rumour was started, Hermione received a howler while backstage with her bandmates and fellow former Marines. The howler hadn't come from Molly though, but rather from Ron. A letter swooped in immediately afterwards, this one from the Weasley Matriarch, warning of the howler and that she didn't blame her one bit for the song and even liked it. She scribbled a reply to her since she was running out of time and a copy of the single, _Hate (I Really Don't Like You)_, to Ron. The three boys laughed while shaking their heads. They knew of her vengeance streak, but they also knew she was one of the kindest people when she wasn't scorned.

Draco called three weeks later saying it was too good to wait for a letter. Barely able to get it out between laughs, he informed her that when Weasley tried to destroy it, Weaslette took it away and had since been playing it constantly. Molly said it was deserved and only wondered how Hermione could have waited so long to do it. Ron still lived at home, but was finally thinking of moving out, only because the twins were often humming the tune of the single.

She sent an extra big Christmas present to Molly, Ginny, and the twins that year.

It was at Draco's quiet insistence that she reconciled with Harry, but she still called him Switzerland. He was her brother, no matter what, and she couldn't turn her back on that. He was happy that she finally decided to answer his letters, even after ten years, and promised to never be so idiotic again. However, she still never returned Severus's letters. No, that wound ran too deep. She was still in love with the man, but she refused to give into it. She had been quoted in magazines saying that, „Love is like a flower. Even the most beautiful kind dies." Nobody asked her about it. The media, although disrespectful towards other stars, were never so unkind to her. She had their respect. Nobody knew how she did it. The Daily Prophet had not even uttered a single foul word about her, but that could be because Rita Skeeter no longer worked there, thanks to a well worded letter to Kingsley, the minister. She seemed to have forgotten their little arrangement.

It was in 2011, about twelve years after she left England, that she received an invitation from Albus. She had been to England since, of course, but never very long. Enough to grab dinner with a couple people but mostly on the go since she had only travelled there to play with her band. It was an invitation to play at Hogwarts. He mentioned that they would pay whatever fee they normally charged as it was open to more than just the students. She _knew_ that he had been twinkling when he wrote this letter. So she responded saying that no fee was necessary since this was her alma mater but to please tone down the twinkling because she knew he was somehow up to no good. When she pitched the idea to Derek, Jake, and Robby, they were all for it. It had been a while since they played in a magical gathering anyway. Besides, although the band saw each other as equals, they all knew Hermione was the unofficial leader.

Severus had mixed ideas about the performance. On the one hand, he was happy she would be showing up after years of absence and no replies to his letters. Except that photo. And the darts she once sent him (he winced in recollection) with a note saying she'd write a song called _Severus Likes Peeing in the Shower. _ Apparently, she hadn't gotten over her anger with him. He refused to give up though, he would _not_ let her slip away by being foolish again. He knew it would be difficult seeing her with someone else, but he never knew it would feel as if someone was actually stabbing him in his heart. Draco had told him he brought this on himself, but had helped him nonetheless. He had a plan for when she came. If she did not listen to him, he would find a way where she would have to. At least now she was single, and had been for a while, according to his godson.

The group arrived a few days before the show was to start and booked a hotel, opting not to stay at Hogwarts. When she took the boys to the Burrow she was immediately engulfed in a Molly hug that left her gasping for breath. She, in turn, hugged everyone there (except Ron) and introduced them to her friends/bandmates. Mrs. Weasley then went on to say how skinny they all looked and how unhealthy it was (they all kept up with their Corps training, and jumping around the stage was equally exercising). The boys (all men now, of course) were a bit uncomfortable, but played along and soon enough fell in love with the family. Kingsley showed up half an hour later with a big smile on his face that he refused to explain until he was tired of her doing a mocking bow everytime he passed her. He gave in and said that he was happy she was back for a little while and that he had finally proposed to his girlfriend, though she could tell he was holding something back. The twins were surprised with her playful side – although they knew about it, they still had stuck in them the notion of the stuffed up school girl and warrior that they had last seen. The truth was, with everything that had been going on, and being friends with two rulebreakers like Harry and Ron, she never had a chance to be anything else.

The day of the concert had everyone in high hopes and excitement. The Great Hall was closed off for preperation and surprise while everyone had a picnic on the grounds. Severus had tried gaining her attention to talk privately but was declined in a chillingly polite manner. She showed no emotion towards him and that hurt him more than anything. He had expected this, though not the unemotional part, but had his backup plan ready. He somehow felt as if this was his last chance. It just might be.

At eight, everyone filtered into the arena, everyone hoping to get as close as possible. He had to give it to her, she really had grown into a beautiful woman and he hated that he was the cause of her bitterness towards love. Weasley might have cemented it, but he was definitely the cause. Although he was skeptical at first with this music business, he was impressed when he had confiscated a CD off one of the students (after cursing her under his breath for having invented a charm to make muggle devices work at Hogwarts). He listened to it every night, sometimes for the lyrics of a few of the songs and sometimes just to hear her voice, wishing she was singing for him. It might be obsession, but he didn't care anymore. He needed her in his life. However, he couldn't help but shudder whenever _The First Time Always Hurts_ played – he was positive that was directed towards him.

The room was completely dark, and slowly lights started forming on the stage showing Hermione in a straightjacket. Her companions were dressed in what could possibly be called priest outfits, but not quite. More of a mixture of a priest and his own style of dressing. She had a wild, insane look about her to go with her outfit. When the music started she jumped around the stage and eventually freed herself from the confines of her jacket, she started off with the song Supernova.

He, once again, couldn't help but admire her. God, what had he done? He has had years to berate himself for letting her go and he knows now that no one could ever possibly hold her back from what she wanted to do. He has never been to one of her concerts but he could tell he was one of the only ones. Everyone else in the hall was going wild, some even singing along. None of the professors, who all knew of her career (moth in the Marines and musical), could ever have reckoned this woman to the girl who grew up within these halls. Pride filled everyone's heart. Albus liked the music, most of it anyway, but would always go for a chance to act like a child and having others do the same. With as much as fun as Hermione was having on stage, it looked as if she was packing the lack of a childhood growing up all into the stage performance. This was confirmed a few songs in, when she stage dived, scaring all the professors to near death.

When she got back, she introduced a new song, not yet released on album yet to the cheers of every single person in the hall. Her song of _New Tomorrow_ had every one singing along as soon as they got the chorus down. It was a song with hope without forgetting who they were. Minerva's eyes were glistening with unshed tears, wishing they had such a song during the war.

The concert progressed smoothly and everyone having the time of their lives except Severus, who was enjoying the concert, but was extremely nervous towards the end. It was the last song that had everyone who knew about Hermione and Severus having tears stream down their cheeks (all the professors and Hermione's friends). It all made sense to Severus

_Relieve me  
><em>_The weight is glued  
><em>_Deceive me  
><em>_Forget about the truth  
><em>_Don't read me  
><em>_I'm so transparent  
><em>_Don't feed me now_

_Face down  
><em>_Too guilty to be happy  
><em>_Right inside  
><em>_Too guilty to be happy  
><em>_Face down  
><em>_Too guilty to be happy  
><em>_Right inside  
><em>_Too guilty to be happy_

_I lust for  
><em>_thrill and danger  
><em>_Don't trust me  
><em>_I've said it all before  
><em>_Believe me  
><em>_I want forgiveness  
><em>_You see me  
><em>_Stripped and naked  
><em>_I live for  
><em>_A taste of violence  
><em>_I'm dying  
><em>_To get another breath_

As the song went on he cemented his decision. He had to do this for her and for him. It looks like scorn wasn't the only reason preventing her replies. She felt guilty and she thought it was her fault. Severus wasn't fool enough to think that she thought him innocent in all of this. No, it was both of them.

After thanking the crowd she stepped off the stage and went to where Albus, Minerva, and Kingsley were standing, not noticing Severus disappearing. Albus asked her to stay a while when he got that suspicious twinkle in his eyes. „What are you up to Albus? Stop twinkling! I know you're up to something! No... I said stop, not twinkle _more!" _Albus stayed silent and they both prevented her from leaving. It wasn't until the music started again that she turned around.

Snape had owled her bandmates and asked how to get to her so that she understood he needed her back. They had been skeptical about helping at first, but eventually gave in. Now he was on the stage and only sheer will kept him from showing how nervous he was. He was never one for crowds and doing this in front of all his students and many others from the magical community threatened to break him, but he knew what needed to be done. He started with the first song.

_I'm still in the vacuum of your heart  
><em>_I still can remember who you are  
><em>_One breath of your lungs has torn me apart  
><em>_(Just help me)  
><em>_I'm still in the vacuum of your heart_

_Do you remember just who you are  
><em>_The cold December has burnt out your star  
><em>_Deny me – untie me – derange me – paralyze me  
><em>_Annoy me – destroy me – erase me – mesmerize me_

_I'm still in the vacuum of your heart  
><em>_I still keep on opening your scar  
><em>_I'm trying to reach your soul but it's hard  
><em>_(Just let me)  
><em>_I'm still in the vacuum of your heart_

_Do you remember just who you are  
><em>_The cold December has taken you far  
><em>_Deny me – untie me – derange me – paralyze me  
><em>_Annoy me – destroy me – erase me – mesmerize me_

_Do you remember just who you are  
><em>_The cold December has burnt out your star  
><em>_Can you imagine who you could've been  
><em>_No fuckin' medicine can fondle your skin_

Probably not the best lyrics, but he had another song as well. He stared straight into her eyes the whole time. He could not fuck this up. Albus kept a hold of her shoulder to make sure she didn't bolt.

_I would live for you and break my heart in two  
><em>_I would give for you like only fools would do  
><em>_I would hear you out and tell you all I could  
><em>_I would take your doubt and show you what I should_

_Let me break, let me break you down  
><em>_For sake, I will break you down_

_I would try for you, try to walk you through  
><em>_I would fight for you to prove that I am true_

_Let me break, let me break you down  
><em>_For your sake, I will break you down  
><em>_Break, break down, break, break down_

_I will choose for you, alleviate your pain  
><em>_I would lose for you again and again  
><em>_Let me break for your sake_

As he finished off the chorus he could see that Hermione was crying, he only hoped it was a good sign. The now silent Great Hall watched on, interested in where this was going and still in a bit of a shock that the Potions professor sang in front of everyone and didn't even do a bad job of it. He got off the stage and walked towards her slowly, hoping there were no darts in the area. Hermione couldn't ignore the hope in his eyes and ran the rest of the way towards him. He was caught off guard but quickly put his arms around her, holding her tight in case she changed her mind. „I am so sorry, Hermione. I know I acted like an ass and Merlin knows I do not deserve a second chance, but please. Give our love a second chance. I will try to never disappoint you again. My life has been hell since you left." Hermione could only nod and hold him tighter. The spectators all cheered and the applause was deafening.

Severus couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He finally did it. It had taken over a decade but he finally got her back. He knew if he screwed up again, there would not be another chance and he was sure she would make Dolohov's demise look inviting once she was done with him. Her bandmates were happy they were back together, even if they hadn't known each other at the time. Severus wasn't such a bad guy and if they could handle drill instructors, they could sure as hell handle a brooding professor. Everyone had the same thought though... what would the Colonel think? Her godfather was a force no one wanted to go against and said as much to Snape.

Severus was thinking about what to do, and had decided that if Hermione was willing, he would travel with them, but he knew from Draco that they were often home months at a time, so that should work. He was worried about the colonel though and it wasn't until his vixen spoke that all colour drained from his face as he fears put into reality.

„I can't wait for you to meet my Godfather..."

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><p><strong>AN: Songs featured are:**

**Hate (I Really Don't Like You) by Plain White T's**

**The First Time Always Hurts – Oomph**

**Supernova – Oomph**

**New Tomorrow – A Friend in London**

**Face Down – Emigrate**

**Who You Are – Oomph**

**Let Me Break - Emigrate**


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